Flash flooding triggers evacuations in Southwest and dire warning for Colorado spa town

Heavy rains and flash flooding have prompted mandatory evacuation orders in parts of the U.S. Southwest. In Colorado, officials in Pagosa Springs warned Sunday of potentially catastrophic flooding as the San Juan River was forecast to crest at more than 19 feet Sunday night. Officials say anyone in low-lying areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo, and Piedra rivers should head to a designated shelter at a local church. Officials in Sedona, Arizona, ordered residents in areas near Oak Creek to leave immediately as floodwaters were rising rapidly and multiple people were already trapped in their homes. By Philip Marcelo, Michael Casey and Christopher Weber, Associated Press Banner image: Members of the Tucson Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team rescue a woman from her car after it became stuck in a flooded wash in Tucson, Ariz., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Image courtesy of Mason Kumet/Arizona Luminaria via Associated Press Credits Topics